11 years old and raw [Archive]

Aleesha Sattva

02-06-2010, 12:38 PM

My daughter is turning 11 this month and she's been raw for 6 days now. I'm not going to post her weight, cause she's very conscious of it... but I do want to share that she's released 4 pounds!!!

This is wonderfully amazing news. She hasn't started any exercise but she loves rebounding and is going to start doing that for a minimum of 5 minutes a day (most times though, once she gets on she stays on for 30+ minutes). She also loves going for walks so on nice days, we'll be doing that as well.

So let's discuss her diet:

She's eating lots of nectarines and romaine lettuce salad. She's not really resonating with anything else at this time - which is fine with me. Even just having these two foods is way healthier than how she's been eating in the past. (SAD) She's an extremely fussy eater so I don't expect her to eat a huge variety of foods. I am hoping that in time, I can get her drinking green smoothies but she's not interested right now.

Every third day she gets to choose something not-raw. She found this really helps her to eat raw because she has a goal/focus/treat.

I'm going to keep updating this thread with her progress. We'll be weighting her once a week. We did her weigh in today cause I felt she needed a little pick-me-up and it certainly gave her that!

michigan roman

02-06-2010, 01:21 PM

great job momma :cool:

Aleesha Sattva

02-06-2010, 01:24 PM

thanks MR (((hugs)))

she just tried a sip of my coconut water and meat blended together and was not impressed LOL oh well... i bet she'll like it later on in her journey!

michigan roman

02-06-2010, 01:36 PM

heres my diet 40 years ago when i was 11

doritos
twinkies
faygo
pepsi
chips ahoy
canned corn
milkyway bars
three musketeers
cheese curls
funions
mountain dew
jelly beans
meat , potatoes , bread

and ive got about 5000 cavaties and ibs to proove it :mad:

and my parents spent about half their pay checks buying all that junk
they were told by the tv was great :mad:

baby lee you dont have the slightest clue
of how happy ide be today if i went raw at 11 :)
if you stick to it i GUARANTEE when your 51 you'll
say ' wooo hooooooo my ma's great and im a hard bodied 51 year old ' :D

Aleesha Sattva

02-06-2010, 01:38 PM

ahhhhhh thanks for this MR... that's exactly what i'm hoping for. that in another year she'll be saying "wow mom, i'm so glad i did this!"

i didn't even think about how she'll feel in another 40 years :D:D:D

Aleesha Sattva

02-06-2010, 01:39 PM

baby lee you dont have the slightest clue
of how happy ide be today if i went raw at 11 :)
if you stick to it i GUARANTEE when your 51 you'll
say ' wooo hooooooo my ma's great and im a hard bodied 51 year old ' :D

i'm reading this thread to her later today... she's going to love this!

jennabean

02-06-2010, 02:49 PM

My diet when I was 11 considered of:

2 nights of week eating McDonald's Happy Meals before practice (I did gymnastics, hockey, softball)
Dinners focused around pork chops, hamburger helper meals, or some sort of steak
Pop-tarts, sugary cereal, and whole milk
Kool-aid, potato chips, ice cream bars, cookies...

Where were the fruits and vegetables? Missing! My parents did not understand what their decisions were doing their children's bodies! We were active kids, so we never had weight problems. But now that my brother is graduated college and no longer playing football, baseball, and wrestling, his weight is no longer being maintained.

I have a great past three weeks on the raw diet! My skin (after some nasty detoxing!:eek:) looks great! I've been logging in more hours sleeping - which in the past was an issue, I would only sleep a few hours every night.

Best of luck to you and your daughter! I hope she comes to find the love for the raw lifestyle that so many of us have found!

RawSar

02-06-2010, 03:23 PM

She's lucky to have you for a mom Aleesha!

When I think back to when I was around 11 years old I was not eating healthy either. Lots of spaghetti, cookies, chips, pop, breads, candy, started drinking coffee at age 13!... I hardly remember drinking water, why would I when there was always pop and coffee in the house. School was always so frustrating to me, the work, the projects and reading. I know that I would have done so much better in school had I been eating a raw vegan diet. With all that junk I was eating and drinking made concentrating so much harder, I couldn't focus and pay attention long enough to understand what was going on.
If I had started a raw vegan diet when I was 11 my dancing career would have probably never ended because I would have never had gotten sick.

Peer pressure can be brutal in school, whats cool, whats not cool.
Everything I did when I was younger I thought was cool, I paid for it thats for sure... Having to quit dance at 15 because I got sick was not cool. Failing a year in highschool was not cool. Graduating with just a 'pass' instead of an A, B or C is not cool.

Everything just starts to come together when you eat healthy, because you can think clearly.

She's very lucky to be getting a head start on a truly healthy lifestyle!

Aleesha Sattva

02-06-2010, 04:58 PM

and we homeschool so no peer pressure for her to deal with at all.

i love that everyone is looking back at their lives when they were 11. i can't remember what i ate back then but honestly not a lot of raw anything.

i am so excited for her journey... sooo excited. :)

margoss

02-06-2010, 04:58 PM

Great for your DD & you!! It's hard when we want them to 'see the light' but there's so much around them.
I'm going to watch this...my dd will be 8yo next month & a lacto-ovo vegetarian since birth. she eats 2-3 eggs per week & occ cheese otherwise no dairy. I'm going to try the 3rd day thing. a smoothie is a no-go for her unless it's bought outside, which I do not want to do. She's slim & I do believe it's bc we do not do the fast food places. It's hard on her to see her friends parents come in with bags from the local places & we ger a piece of fruit after dance w/water & occ steamed veggies from the Chinese place with a light sause on the side. I'm going to read these to her later so she can see why I'm like I am. My childhood food was similar to the above yet I was always told I was fat & needed to lose wt. I explain to her that this is why I'm like I am w/her. She gets her occ sweet things just once a week unless we're at a party. Then the great thing...she doesn't like the frosting..too sweet!

OnMyJourney

02-06-2010, 05:24 PM

Great job mommy and great adventures to your daughter!! w00t w00t! I wish we lived near each other, my 11 year old is transitioning to raw as well. So far, so grand! :D As soon as my dehydrator gets here on Tuesday we'll really be rawking and rolling! You two keep up the fab living! I look forward to hearing about her journey. I'll come back from time to time and post my daughter's "at the moment" favorite and see if your daughter likes it too. I'm so excited for you both! ((((((((hugs))))))

Bestday

02-06-2010, 05:57 PM

Hi
Here is a very inspiring link to an audio interview with Victoria Boutenko. It is pretty short about 15 minutes. But she has some comments on when her children started being raw. http://www.rawbc.org/raw_radio.html
It is inspiring for anyone else who wants to stay on raw.
mary

Aleesha Sattva

02-06-2010, 05:57 PM

Aleesha Sattva

02-06-2010, 05:58 PM

thanks bestday... we have their books here (two copies of each actually LOL) - we love them in our home! the power of the greens... ahhhhhhhh

monkapotapus

02-06-2010, 07:20 PM

Very cool Aleesha~:D
If ever there was a great teacher......it's you!!

I too wish Raw was presented to me at a young age. I do however remember my grandma always giving me a piece of fruit for "desert" - something to cool our tummies she'd say....bad food combining, but hey it was fruit at least ;)

My younger sister just went through the same thing a couple years ago with a weight issue. It broke my heart when kids were cruel to her at school, because she is such a sweetheart. When she was 12 - something just "clicked" in her & she started exercising on a $10 elliptical machine from a garage sale. She would watch TV & do it for 20 - 30min each night. She still ate the same things, just smaller portions. Some days she would also shoot hoops in the driveway by herself or with my other sister. She went from 164# @ 5' tall down to the 120 area within 6 months :eek:. I was so proud of her & I told her that. I also told her that it didn't matter to me what she weighed, because I will always love her just the way she is. She just turned 14 in Jan. & she plays basketball for her school team & loves it!

I try to impress upon my sisters (14 & 17yrs) how important it is to drink water & try new fruits/veggies. They joke about it sometimes, but at least it's sinking in.....;)

Aleesha Sattva

02-06-2010, 07:39 PM

thanks for sharing that story monk...

she's really increased her water consumption which pleases me greatly. i'm so happy about this. she's also doing bach flower remedy and the therapist asked her to drink a litre or two a day, so that kickstarted her water consumption. nice for her to hear it from someone other than mom!

OnMyJourney

02-06-2010, 09:12 PM

that is so cool that we are both doing the same thing right now. all the best to you two on your journey!!!

mar, i know my son, who's 16 is so appreciative of my parenting now. he sees his friends parents and how/who they are and tells me that he's so happy to have a mom like me. (we had our time together today so a nice long deep chat)... blisses me out to see this cause it wasn't like this years ago.

so i guess what i'm trying to say is... your daughter will see the light... it just may take a few more years and a little growth first. (((hugs)))

Yes, it is really awesome! She's been transitioning for a bit now and I'm watching her lose weight as well and it wasn't even my intention for her. But she walks through the family room (like she did just now) and I think, "Wow!! Look at her!"

When I decided to "go raw" back in November I started her too...though she's certainly not 100% (yet!). She's been mourning the loss of pizza so I'm super thrilled to be getting my Excalibur next week. Aside from that I find that the "prettier" the colors the more she likes the food. Her green smoothies are "purple" smoothies because I use flowering kale and/or blue berries. Same for salads, the more colorful we make them the more she eats. It's so funny to watch. :p But it pleases my heart like only a mother could imagine! :) Ooooh, I love this thread so much Aleesha!! I'm just so thrilled for you both!

Aleesha Sattva

02-06-2010, 11:52 PM

I am thrilled as well!!! She's doing so great. No complaints at all at dinner time... this is the first day there have been no complaints!

RawHealthyBeauty

02-07-2010, 12:22 AM

Right on for your daughter!! :)
Great news that she has an open mind about going raw and easing her way into it!!
Nice to hear she feeling good about her results from it!! ;)

OnMyJourney

02-07-2010, 09:24 AM

I am thrilled as well!!! She's doing so great. No complaints at all at dinner time... this is the first day there have been no complaints!

YESS!!!!! w00 h000!!! http://www.sherv.net/cm/emo/funny/2/banana.gif (http://www.sherv.net/banana-emoticon-68.html) http://www.sherv.net/cm/emo/funny/2/banana.gif (http://www.sherv.net/banana-emoticon-68.html)

Aleesha Sattva

02-07-2010, 11:26 AM

and she begins day seven!

Aleesha Sattva

02-09-2010, 01:26 AM

Aleesha Sattva

02-09-2010, 01:27 AM

oh and today is day 8 of her raw journey!

OnMyJourney

02-09-2010, 06:47 AM

This just makes my heart smile this morning. I want to squeeze and hug the both of you, I can imagine how your heart must've melted when she said those things!!! ((((((hugs)))))

monkapotapus

02-09-2010, 07:28 AM

Jessican

02-09-2010, 09:40 AM

Thank you for sharing! I hope to get my ODS raw - he has ADHD/ODD/depression issues.

somelikeitraw

02-09-2010, 09:43 AM

This is so AWESOME Aleesha!!! http://www.websmileys.com/sm/cartoon/1244.gif Thank you so much for this thread and posting your daughter's progress.

I have a 14yo daughter who isn't raw. Once in awhile she will try something, like she enjoys the Chocolate Super Cookies by the Go Raw company. She also enjoys fruit smoothies but prefers them with sorbet or sherbet in them. You and RawKnitster are inspiring me to get into the kitchen and play with food. I am thinking if I make more on the gourmet side raw food, perhaps my daughter and hubby would be eating more raw.

I have been doing my best not to push it on them and just show them the benefits by example. Meanwhile, in the year I have been raw and trimmed down & healthed up, my hubby has put on what my daughter calls a baby bump, and my daughter continues to be susceptible to every bug that goes around school. She also complains about her skin, which considering what she is eating, isn't that bad.

Maybe if I ask nicely she will be willing to read this thread and maybe it will make a difference for her. I'm not sure that she realizes that even just increasing raw foods and decreasing junk foods in her diet will help.

Anyway, lots of appreciation is being beamed towards you!
Kudos to your daughter for taking charge of her health and being so wise beyond her years!

Aleesha Sattva

02-09-2010, 10:44 AM

i think what's really assisting her the most right now is her third day treat. i don't like calling it that, cause i want her to not see SAD food as a treat but... at this point in her journey it's working for her and whatever works is the right path for her *wink*

so, day three she had something she was craving. day six she did again and what was interesting is she was very interested in just how bad the choice was. she didn't want it to be super fatty, or super unhealthy - so she kept her choice to less processed items.

no one told me we were out of romaine - and we were going out last night as a couple (hubby and i) so i said to her, how about you have day 9's food tonight? she chose something that was in the fridge that was causing her cravings. this way it was out of there and she didn't have to look at it anymore.

this is what inspired me to decide to change the fridges around. her habit is to go into the black fridge (which is larger)... the white fridge (which was originally in the basement) is a tiny bit smaller and on the other end of the kitchen... not a habit for anyone but me to go into as it holds all my young coconuts, pineapples and raw pickles etc.

so changing her usual fridge to the raw fridge will allow her to keep her habit of going into that fridge without ever seeing another trigger food inside!!!

i know it'll help cause that's why i have my own fridge! i didn't want to see SAD food every time i was hungry and looking to make myself something to eat (or to juice depending on where i was in my own journey).

i'm going to get her to assist me with the change, so she can be empowered by the change.

i'm soooooo proud of her. if you knew her, and knew how difficult she is when it comes to eating... how fussy she's always been... you would be blown away by her tenacity and focus on her health and mental well being. *beaming with pride* but then again... i think you all are. your supportive posts are just that... so supportive. i tell her about each one and hope to sit her down to read this thread very soon. so far me telling her has been enough but i know this thread will not only keep her focused but assist her to see how far she's come!

yipppeeee raw RAWKS!

Green_Woman

02-09-2010, 08:40 PM

When I was 11, I was a migraine-plagued, body-ache plagued, depression-filled person.

I ate Cooked (not SAD... my parents were big on steamed veggies and fresh fruit/veggies and rationed meat/dairy which did help SOME, but we still had alot of baked goods in our diet!) and was not a healthy kiddo!!!

Your daughter is one BLESSED 11 yr old!!!!!!!!! I wish I had known then what I know now, but I'm really glad I found RAW just 9 yrs later. ;)

Aleesha Sattva

02-11-2010, 10:21 PM

Day 11 for her... we weighed her this morning (cause she felt like she gained weight over a food choice she made that was not raw and I needed to prove to her that she didn't) and she has released 7 pounds.

So 7 pounds in 10 days (cause we weighed this morning...) how cool is that?!

She's almost off nectarines and focused on salads right now. I'm hoping her love of cucumber will come back strong soon...

monkapotapus

02-12-2010, 08:00 AM

Wow! 7#s in 10 days is simply AMAZING!!!
Tell her - "You go girl" for me! :D

Aleesha Sattva

02-12-2010, 09:49 AM

I will!!! I told her that people who diet often release 2-4 pounds a month... that made her even more excited!!!

(((huggin the monk)))

monkapotapus

02-12-2010, 12:36 PM

I will!!! I told her that people who diet often release 2-4 pounds a month... that made her even more excited!!!

(((huggin the monk)))

((((huggin the Aleesha right back))))

I have released 12# since the 1st of Jan. this year & I'm so excited - I know just how she feels :D

Moretta

02-12-2010, 12:46 PM

How exciting Aleesha! I'm so happy for the both of you.

Yayyyyyyy to your daughter.

RawHealthyBeauty

02-13-2010, 09:19 AM

So so joyful to hear about your daughter experiencing the wonders of raw food!!
What a blessing to start raw at such a young age!! She's very lucky!! :cool:
Right on and keep on for her continuous success on raw!!

Aleesha Sattva

02-13-2010, 10:28 AM

freespirit

02-13-2010, 06:11 PM

let's see- Im german, so lots of meat!! But my mother kept lots of veggies in our diet and we always had fruit in the house. I credit my love of all things grown in soil to my upbringing.

OnMyJourney

02-13-2010, 06:24 PM

i think that's it! conscious success. she's so aware of what's happening to her body, to her mental state, that she's consciously aware. i think that'll be a huge part in her keeping up this lifestyle choice...

thank you all for your support...

I agree. When my daughter made the connection between her eating raw and the fact that she hasn't gotten sick all this winter, the light bulb went off for her.

Aleesha Sattva

02-13-2010, 06:26 PM

so how long as she been raw now? what are her fav foods?

Aleesha Sattva

02-15-2010, 01:23 PM

it's day fifteen... yip yip yippppeeeee

OnMyJourney

02-15-2010, 04:48 PM

so how long as she been raw now? what are her fav foods?

She's been high raw since I started- mid October through the first of November was when we really got started. Right now she's in LOVE with my banana pancakes. My recipe is 1/4 cup of ground golden flax, 3 tablespoons of banana, 1 tablespoon of coconut water, 1 big date (thinly sliced), 3/4 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed orange juice. This yields two good sized pancakes. I dehydrate them over night and they're nice and warm, waiting in the dehydrator for her when she awakes. I top them with banana slices and she can't get enough of them!

More favorites of her's are Ani Phyo's Sun burgers (let me know if you want the recipe for this one); green smoothies with kale, banana, mango and strawberry; banana "ice cream;" and marinaded collard greens.

The recipe for the greens (I got from greenspiritliving.com) is below:

Marinade
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
¼ cup chopped scallions
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

1 bunch collard greens, washed
2 tablespoons olive oil olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt

In a large bowl, combine marinade ingredients. Set aside.

Cut hard stem from collard leaves. Take several leaves and roll into a cylinder, the shape of a fat cigar.
Using a knife, cut through the collard cylinder, making strips.
Repeat using all collard green leaves.

Places the collard green strips in a large bowl. Pour olive oil on the strips and sprinkle with sea salt. Massage the oil and salt into the strips until all are well coated.

Transfer the collard strips to the bowl with the apple cider vinegar marinade. Let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Makes 4 Servings

ETA: I forgot to add her all time favorite for quite some time was raw pasta and marinara sauce! She was head over heels for this stuff! lol

ETA 2 - I forgot to say that she LOOOVES raw snickers and cheezits. Since I've made the "snickers" she hasn't asked for a conventional snickers bar! She LOVES them and I find that because they are so rich she only eats one at a time, even though there's a big batch. That satisfies her and she doesn't feel the need to eat the same amount that's in a candy bar. Today she took my raw cheezits to school for snack and this afternoon the first thing ouf of her mouth was, "Mommy, my friends love your cheezits!" I'm a hit in 5th grade it appears.;)

OnMyJourney

02-15-2010, 04:51 PM

it's day fifteen... yip yip yippppeeeee

*doing my happy dance* :D:D:D

drolemil

02-15-2010, 05:08 PM

ETA: I forgot to add her all time favorite for quite some time was raw pasta and marinara sauce! She was head over heels for this stuff! lol

Ha! That's my favorite raw thing to make, also! All kids love pasta. ;) It's so easy and delicious.

I gotta try those pancakes. P: IHOP was once my favorite place in the whole wide world. The marinated greens also sound good... :D

Aleesha Sattva

02-15-2010, 09:30 PM

i'm hoping she'll try those pancakes... i'll make them and see if she'll eat them... if not my hubby will i'm sure LOL

thanks for sharing with me. it helps a lot.

today we had a huge talk (again) about how important raw is, she read this thread and then we talked about how important eating is. that she has to eat. then we went off to the market where she picked out some food for herself. i'm hoping that she'll increase her variety but i'm happy she's gotten the idea that eating is important... so we'll see how it goes.

(((hugs))) 15 days... i couldn't be prouder of her!

OnMyJourney

02-15-2010, 09:59 PM

You're very welcome! I'm happy to share, I'm so excited for the two of you! I'll share more things as she falls for them. She's been at this thing where I'll introduce a dish and she'll love it and not want anything else for weeks and weeks until she tires of it and then she'll move to the next dish. Like with these pancakes, it's all she wants for breakfast and with the pasta, it was ALL she wanted for dinner. Every night she was asking for it! :p Before that all she wanted for dinner were these huge, colorful salads that she put together. Then when she grows tired of it, and it's "Ok, mommy...whatcha got next?" kind of a thing. lol

Ha! That's my favorite raw thing to make, also! All kids love pasta. ;) It's so easy and delicious.

I gotta try those pancakes. P: IHOP was once my favorite place in the whole wide world. The marinated greens also sound good... :D

I have to admit...I was pretty addicted to that pasta dish as well. lol Easy+delicious...that's just hard to beat!

I hope you all love the pancakes, they really are yummy! And the greens, *stops to lick lips* Umm, umm, good!

Mary Kay

02-16-2010, 03:15 AM

Jessican

02-16-2010, 07:27 AM

I'm not trying to be mean or even the devil's advocate....Honestly, just trying to understand: How could your daughter be eating a SAD diet if you're her mother? You buy the food and bring it home!???!!!

She's homeschooled too, so it's not like she's getting junk at school either.....

My SIL complained about how all her kids did was go into the cupboards and get cookies....but she put the cookies there.....

If it's not in the house and all they have are healthy choices......

Mary Kay

Wow - that was rude! :eek:
Aleesha never said her daughter was on SAD. There are food options out there that fall between the range of SAD and Raw you know. I looked back through the whole thread and could find no reference to junk or cookies that her daughter was supposedly eating. I know lots of people who eat cooked diets of whole grains, very little animal products and salads/fruits/veggies at every meal but are still overweight and not at optimal health. "Not being at optimal health" does NOT equal fast food and oreos.

ETA - ok I did find one reference to "SAD" when she said he daughter would have a s SAD treat every third day - but she never said that the SAD food in her house was junk or cookies. Everyone had a different opinion of SAD - I often forget that SAD is fast food and TV dinners, because a standard dinner in our house is more like a home made pizza with a WW crust, olive oil and veggies. But I still don't get where you come off pointing fingers based on that one reference - no where else did Aleesha say what their standard diet was before.

Aleesha Sattva

02-16-2010, 10:59 AM

beckx

02-16-2010, 11:52 AM

wow, i wish i knew about raw food at 11. i would be such a different person...

at 11 i was eating tons of frozen foods (fish sticks, pizza rolls, microwave meals), sandwiches with deli meats, junk food snacks (sugar cereal, crackers, rice crispies treats, fruit snacks)... some fruit and a 'nutritious' dinner, at least homemade, with meat, a starch and usually 2-3 veggies. i can say that we never had sugar juices and we rarely had dessert after meals, at least... dessert was a habit i made on my own. :rolleyes:

went mostly vegetarian around 12, but not much support - my mom had no idea how to cook veg and there weren't as many resources as there are now so she pretty much rejected it... she's just coming around ~14 years later, moving more toward eating veg/'pescatarian'. you're walking the raw talk for her though! dad a little bit, too, right? amazing. :) wish my mom knew about raw food when i was 11, too. she's been struggling to lose weight for the last 20 years with no results - she has tried every 'diet' but never has been willing to commit to a serious lifestyle change.

drolemil

02-16-2010, 09:59 PM

Mary Kay,

The reason my kids eat SAD is because they are allowed that choice. I don't force my beliefs on any of them. I'm Buddhist but I don't make them Buddhist. They have their own path to walk. It goes that way for food as well. I try to set a good example by eating raw and I'm soooo pleased that everyone here (hubby and two kids) are making way healthier choices now but heck girl... how do you think I got to be 300 pounds? What example do you think I was setting then?

hahaha,
Aleesha

My mother has the same philosophy: that she can never force vegetarianism/religion on her children. The only problem is that she does NOT set a healthy example, as she eats junk food constantly and promotes the idea "you only live once" to why people should enjoy junk food (which to me seems to contradict itself, since if you only live once you should make it worthwhile and lasting).

However, you let your kids know their options AND still enlighten them on healthy goodness. :) I think it's wonderful how you do that. If I was your kid, I would be grateful for both the freedom and your health advocation. Keep up the awesome parenting! :cool:

karenasmm

02-16-2010, 10:27 PM

I have an 11 year old son and a 9 year old daughter who are going raw with me. Well, my daughter is all for it but my son complains sometimes.
Finding things that they like is key. Fortunately there are so many choices.
My son has actually always tended toward frutarian. That kid ate an entire apple whole at 9 months with only 2 teeth! (i didn't take my eyes off him for a second) Since then he can polish off several pounds of grapes easily as a snack.
We used to scold him cause there would be no fruit left for the rest of us, but now he is allowed to eat as much as he wants.
My kids love a strawberry banana smoothie (aka shake) or a banana/chocolate shake with dinner. Its great to have a raw cheese burger and shake for dinner without the fast food side effects.
My son actually asked to watch "Supersize Me" so we watched in on HULU. It really made an impression on all of us!
It is great about your daughter. I think 11 is a big turning point for kids. If she were 13 it might be harder, but at this age girls really still like to emulate their moms, so congratulations. She will love her body and her health and that will bring her amazing self respect and confidence for life!

Aleesha Sattva

02-16-2010, 11:33 PM

Thanks (((hugs)))

She is sick right now. Last night she chose to eat something not-raw after her huge salad. Well... it sat like a brick in her belly and tonight she's vomiting. She told me that she can feel the difference now between raw live food and SAD dead food. She told me that it feels different and now she gets it. She only wants to eat live food for now on.

I'm so proud of her... even with how sick she is right is... she's looking at the energy of her food!

OnMyJourney

02-17-2010, 06:51 AM

I hope your little one feels better very soon. ((hugs to her)) I must say that I love to see another 11 year old girl, in today's society, making such wonderful connections. It makes my heart smile so brightly. *hi five mommy*

monkapotapus

02-17-2010, 08:38 AM

I hope she's feeling better today Aleesha~Give her some ((((hugs)))) for us :o

Aleesha Sattva

02-17-2010, 10:30 AM

i will give her hugs from you. she's still sleeping, which is goooood.

*high fives*

RawHealthyBeauty

02-17-2010, 07:27 PM

i think that's it! conscious success. she's so aware of what's happening to her body, to her mental state, that she's consciously aware. i think that'll be a huge part in her keeping up this lifestyle choice...

thank you all for your support...

I love that, conscious success!!

What you just describe is so true!! I agree!

I had my moments of not eating raw in the past. My body said, "No Thanks!!"
And to realized even more that raw is really the way to go!! Our body is very smart!! :)

Aleesha Sattva

02-17-2010, 08:27 PM

yup... she's been eating bananas and cucumber for the last day... (now that she's not vomiting anymore)... and she's very very pleased about it!

Mary Kay

02-18-2010, 02:08 AM

Jessica,

I absolutely did not intend to be rude, and even started out my post somewhat apologetically! I truly do not understand this! Yes, you can allow a person to be who they want to be, but by buying bad stuff and bringing it into the house - it's "almost" advocating it.

And Aleesha, Maybe it's a good thing she got a little ill ---to show her that stuff is not good for her! A friend of mine allowed her young teenage dd to finally try McDonald's when she was a little older, and she got sick and now won't touch it. I think that's a good thing - both that she allowed her to try it AND that she got ill and proved it was bad.

Mary Kay

Aleesha Sattva

02-18-2010, 02:11 AM

honestly mary kay, i found your post to be a little judgemental but it didn't bother me. you can do what you choose with your kids and i'll do what i choose to with mine. http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x87/recyclinggoddess/smilie_meditate.gif

Mary Kay

02-18-2010, 02:55 AM

....Well, we may disagree about bringing certain things into the home, but no one can argue that you are inspiring your child in the best way imaginable---leading by example ----as someone had mentioned.

Mary Kay

Aleesha Sattva

02-20-2010, 12:23 AM

well she's on day 19. she's been sick this week but we weighed her yesterday and she's down 12 pounds!!! this is sooooo great. i'm so happy for her. she's looking GOOD!!! her tummy is pretty much gone now... i'm sure when she's healthy again, she's going to be very pleased with her reflection in the mirror!

she has also told me (while she's been sick) that she can feel the difference when something dead comes into her body. daddy made her some soup... and it felt horrid. mommie brings her a banana or some cucumber slices and her body feels energized and clean. she doesn't want to eat any cooked food anymore. she loves how raw makes her feel.

i'm soooo happy about this!

monkapotapus

02-21-2010, 10:27 AM

YAY!!!
I'm doing the "Happy Dance" for her!!!!

She is such a lucky girl to realize at a young age how her body can feel the differences between living & dead food.....and that you're her Mom :cool:

12#s!!!! :eek: WOW, WOW, WOW!!! :D

Aleesha Sattva

02-21-2010, 10:41 AM

it was 12 pounds but... probably more now especially since she hasn't eaten much over the last week being so sick.

but when she does eat... it's a couple slices of cucumber or part of a banana... no cooked food for this little one!

so today is day 21 for her!!!

monkapotapus

02-21-2010, 11:07 AM

Whoops!
I was just so excited I put the wrong # - I corrected it :p

12#s in 19 days is amazing!

I hope she's feeling better soon~

Day 21! What a trooper :D

Aleesha Sattva

02-21-2010, 12:00 PM

she is!!! she is, she really really is!

Aleesha Sattva

02-22-2010, 10:31 AM

okay a little update:

Today is day 22... and in the 21 days she's been raw, she's released 14 pounds!!! She's still sick... but I think it's a mixture of detox and stomach flu combined... AND she's staying raw while she heals so how great is that!!!

Went out and got her some new clothes for her new body yesterday as well.

Aleesha Sattva

02-24-2010, 10:54 PM

it's her birth day tomorrow... she's turning 11... so she REALLY is eleven and raw.

how cool is this! my littlest angel is turning 11... ;)

monkapotapus

02-25-2010, 05:08 PM

Happy Birth Day to your daughter & Birthing Day to you!!! :D

Was she super excited to get some new clothes? I bet she's feeling very proud of herself~;)

Green_Woman

02-25-2010, 10:27 PM

What an amazing young woman. I am encouraged by HER (and your) perseverance!!!

Give her some coconut milk and lots of bananas and make her a raw cheesecake for her b-day!!!! :D

Aleesha Sattva

02-26-2010, 12:25 AM

She opted for a SAD cake... but had a wonderful day indeed. Thank you both (((hugs)))

OnMyJourney

02-26-2010, 12:15 PM

I missed the little one's birthday, my sincere apologies! Be sure to wish her a happy belated birthday for me. :D Sounds like she had a lovely day ...and mommy too!

Aleesha Sattva

02-26-2010, 08:57 PM

she did... she did indeed! (i will)

busybees

03-03-2010, 03:24 PM

Aleesha! Please up date us on your daughter! My 11 year old daughter is looking forward to how her journey is going as she begins her own journey :)

Aleesha Sattva

03-03-2010, 03:36 PM

She's been sick a few times... both times after eating processed cooked foods (like pizza for example). She's learning what her body wants. She's working hard to expand her food choices (as she's always been a very fussy eater).

She's enjoying her weight release. She's definitely not wanting this journey to end, as she knows that is always an option, but she is choosing to continue (which pleases me greatly).

Tomorrow we are doing a weigh in. We'll see how she's doin'.

Do let us know how your daughter's journey unfolds.

OnMyJourney

03-03-2010, 04:45 PM

Hey!! Cool! Another 11 year old girl blazing the path of health and joy! 11 year olds ROCK! :p

busybees I wish your daughter all the best. Aleesha, pizza was a part of my daughter's misery. It was served at a birthday party. :rolleyes: But we're rawking and rawling now! :p ...that was horribly corny I know, but I can't help myself.

lovenlife

03-03-2010, 05:26 PM

How great Aleesha. My new raw peeps (hus n wife) have had amazing results on raw on five weeks. He has lost over 25 lbs! They feel great and are having no problems.

Another new raw peep has been experiencing results with adding only a few raw foods. When she eats other stuff it sends her into bloating and all sorts of things.

Raw works and how great to be eleven on raw! She has no idea how this will help her so very much! wow is all I can say. Bravo to you Mom.!

busybees

03-04-2010, 03:25 PM

Well, my 11 year old is not going all raw right this minute ... she's working up to it and then if not all raw by summer, she will delve in. She's going from no fruit to fruit twice a day plus a larger salad at dinner and eating very little cooked food.

She is noticing a difference in her skin and that is really encouraging her. She told me that she is looking forward to me making raw treats because if I can make brownies and such that are alive and not dead then she's got it made!

Aleesha Sattva

03-04-2010, 03:35 PM

We did a little weigh in today and were pleased with the results. She's looking WAY thinner than the scale says though which is always the case as we all know.

She's loving dried cranberries right now. I'm sooo pleased. We have an organic dried cranberry here that she's snacking on or adding to her fruit in the morning. Every new item she adds pleases me.

AND she's in love with salad again. She threw it up when she was sick (had it before she got sick) and so... she didn't want to eat it again. But last night... she totally enjoyed a salad again.

So yup... I'm very pleased indeed!!!

busybees

03-04-2010, 05:42 PM

I'm so happy with my 15 year old's food choices today ... she's really been sticking with the raw - A LOT over the past two days. Normally she's the one that says "I'm so out of shape ... I'm so this ... I'm so that ...." but then doesn't do anything about it even after speaking to me about it. But this time, she barely spoke to me about it and has just delved right in, in a way I never expected. I'm expecting detox to set it with her soon but then again, maybe not so much since she's so young and doesn't have that many years as a SAD eater and I'm not keen on medications (not that she's really been sick either).

Ok, I'm starting to ramble ... all I really wanted to say was yay! for Aleesha's daughter and express my pleasure in my daughter's choices :)

Aleesha Sattva

03-04-2010, 06:54 PM

I was actually VERY surprised by how much detoxing my daughter has done... thrilled that it's out of her body but surprised by the amount.

;)

OnMyJourney

03-04-2010, 07:43 PM

Just came in to bask in the joy of our children living rawmazing lives! :D Love and bliss to all the lovely young ladies and the marvelous mommies! (((hugs)))

Aleesha Sattva

03-04-2010, 08:54 PM

ditto!!!!!

busybees

03-05-2010, 05:20 AM

Thanks for the heads up there Aleesha! My 15 year old went straight from SAD to 95% raw overnight (a small granola bar is her 5%). She's sharing her food logging with me so that's good ~ it's a step ... I'm sure once she's comfortable with it all she will talk ... she listens, just won't talk about it. But that's fine :)

madeleinegreen

03-23-2010, 04:47 PM

that's really wonderful.
i'm 16 and at age 11 i was struggling with eating disorders because i was so frustrated with my small amount of baby fat

it's great to see such a young girl learning how to stay at a healthy weight the right way. very inspiring. :)

katchmoleen

03-23-2010, 05:12 PM

First time I have seen this thread, and it is very cool, Aleesha. So glad you have a nearly all raw family now! My oldest daughter is still raw with me. She had no weight to lose and was already healthy as a horse, but she just likes being raw. She can't even really articulate why.....she just likes it. My second daughter was raw for 6 months, but she did not reap any benefits and actually GAINED weight. Her body type and health problems are a lot like mine, and I think she would have benefited from more greens and less fruit, but she would not eat that way. She lived on marinated mushrooms, fruit and nuts and dates. A few veggies here and there but not many and no green smoothies. So for her it did not help her health at all. She is back on gluten and sugar free whlole foods and happy for it.
My two sons still at home have no interest in raw. My hubby loves raw food but is not quite willing to go all the way. My little daughter, almost 9, loves all my raw food but is also not willing to give up her bread and potatoes, etc. We are a sugar free/whole wheat/no junk food family, but even so she is a tiny bit chunky. So even when the junk food isn't there, children can still overeat. I am just hoping to get her more active and not focus on the food. My kids are allowed to eat as much fruit and veggies as they want.

Aleesha Sattva

03-23-2010, 08:59 PM

well i guess i should give another update. she's doing GREAT. not releasing any more weight but hasn't gained any back either. her self esteem has grown by mountains. i'm so pleased for her!!!

she's eating a larger variety of foods now. not huge, but more of a variety. the little trick we used... was adding a non raw healthy granola bar to her morning. it assisted her with BMs and it's assisting her to be hungry during the day... so now she's eating more cause she was eating barely anything.

but... we also need to remember that she was sick for much of the time too... and when she's sick she eats NOTHING. so i think a combo of her being a picky eater and being sick made it next to impossible to get food into her.

so now she's eating at least twice a day which makes me happy.

she has a nice sized salad every night and fruit during the day. oranges seem to be her fav at the moment but she bought some pears today for herself. she's snacking on dried cranberries and some of my raw bars.

the best part of all of this... she can now tell if something has alot of fat in it when she tastes it and it totally turns her off the food! she's so pleased. she doesn't even want the same junk she liked before cause it tastes too fatty to her. so now she reaches for something healthier (and even if it's a cooked food... i like that she's going healthier).

she's still very high raw though and i can't (at this time) imagine her lowering that... i can however see her going more raw though.

so... i'm very very pleased and more importantly... she is pleased!!!

on another note: my hubby is about 90% raw and my son is eating more sald than i've ever seen him eat. so this mama is very very pleased indeed!

busybees

03-25-2010, 11:07 AM

That's awesome Aleesha! My baby is still a combination of cooked/raw. She tends to usually only want salads at night - she'll eat 2 or 3 huge dinner plates of salad at a sitting and think nothing of it. BUT we've added something else to our lives ... homeschooling! The fracture has been a blessing in disguise :D Some things about the school system came to light and now dad is on board. But also because of the fracture everyone else will be finishing out the year in public school, then we'll begin whole family homeschooling this summer to determine if all or some with continue with it in the fall.

OH I also discovered that my youngest daughter is almost completely raw! As it turns out she eats mostly raw at home and her snacks are raw that get sent to school.... but for lunch she always orders a salad! Her teacher says she is the healthiest eater she has ever seen :D

Well, we are actually about to make some smoothies and sit down to do some math together ... can't wait to hear more later!

Aleesha Sattva

03-25-2010, 11:11 AM

We love homeschooling, but it's not for everyone. We are off today on a homeschooling hike and potluck... gotta run and have some fun!

bsqmurphy

03-27-2010, 01:02 AM

Thank you for this thread Aleesha. I have learned so much about how to be more compassionate with myself in my own raw transition from how you have supported your daughter.

Thank you!
Bri.

Aleesha Sattva

03-27-2010, 09:06 AM

That's so great to hear Bri. (((hugs))) I'm a huge fan of being gentle and loving with ourselves when we transition in our lives. Expecting perfection from the get-go is self defeating. We are allowed to fall back into our out-modes behaviours - after all that's what we've grown accustomed to. But if we gently remind ourselves of our intention... we eventually find ourselves falling into where we wanted to go. It becomes our norm.

My daughter is sick again. The flus going around here are so nasty. Our entire family has never gotten so many flus and been so sick ever. But she and I both believe that our choices for healthy eating are making a positive influence and a big difference regardless.

FreedomSeeker

03-27-2010, 10:07 AM

Way to go!!! The foundation you are building with her now will strengthen and fortify her AND your potential future grandchildren. That's truly awesome in the nontrendy use of the word. :)

peach blossom

04-06-2010, 04:40 PM

Getting her started young will make her that much more healthy in the end! Good for you!

Aleesha Sattva

04-06-2010, 09:11 PM

and she's done her first two months and is doing GREAT!!!

i'm so proud of her... she's really sticking to this. honestly i didn't expect her to... but i am beyond giddy that she has!!!

monkapotapus

04-07-2010, 07:28 PM

Wow, it's been 2 months already? :confused:
It seems like only yesterday.....:rolleyes:

I'm so proud of her for sticking with it! :D

Aleesha Sattva

04-07-2010, 08:38 PM

:D:D:D me tooooo!!! she's on the floor telling her dad to make her salad right now.

well asking him actually. soooo cute!!! i love that she's so into her nutrition and health now!

busybees

04-09-2010, 09:44 AM

Awesome!! I kindof expected mine to lose interest as well but they aren't. They are still making smoothies, taking fruits and salads to school, and eating fruits instead of snacks around the house. Their cooked portions are getting smaller and smaller with no seconds at dinnertime. I'm kind of in awe with it all!

That's soooo great for your daughter Aleesha!

Aleesha Sattva

04-09-2010, 10:05 AM

and great for yours as well!!!

Aleesha Sattva

04-27-2010, 08:21 PM

check out her new thread (http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?p=603901#post603901)!!!

CathyA.

04-28-2010, 07:40 PM

I know you can't live in the land of what if, but wow....I do wish my parents would have been living raw when I was young. I know what its like to be depressed at an early age. No fun. I'm glad that your little girl is doing so well on raw and really enjoying the perks of the raw lifestyle. She's a rawk star.

Aleesha Sattva

04-28-2010, 07:44 PM

She sure is! I'm extremely proud of her. *beaming*

JennaHoneyBear

04-30-2010, 02:51 PM

oh, Aleesha, your daughter is so darling. I see a little of myself in her... :) . The 11-year old inside of me is so happy that you're able to do this for her and help her like this. My childhood/teenhood was so pained because of how heavy I was, I would never want any other child to go through that! I'm so proud of her, and she'll be so proud of herself down the road!!

Aleesha Sattva

07-10-2010, 04:35 PM

a little update on my daughter.

she's 5 months high raw now... and she is feeling so good about herself. i just took her out to get a new bathing suit... she chose one with NO covering of the tummy for the first time EVER!

and... *drum roll please*

she wore it out of the store!!! yup, she felt so good in her new bikini that she put it on and wore it around the mall! the bottoms are bikini-shorts and she looked amazing!

she told me, while she was trying on all the suits in her size that she's never felt so good trying on clothes before. she's never loved her reflection in the mirror more than she did today.

and... ladies and gentlemen, that's what high-raw does for a young girls self-esteem!!!

last year she'd come home from the pool sad cause some other kid called her fat. that hasn't happened once this year... and she's lovin' that!

she's so blissing out right now... and so am i!!!

:D
Aleesha

michigan roman

07-10-2010, 04:44 PM

thats so great lee , im so happy for you guys !!!!!!!!

Aleesha Sattva

07-10-2010, 04:47 PM

ya mr... i'm so thrilled for us as well. i love how she glows now. i love how she feels about herself. i love that she looks at food differently. she won't even go near a mcD now and can't believe she ate it before. she LOVES salad! she loves it.

she's still a fussy eater... that hasn't changed, but now... she thinks about what she's about to put into her body and even asks her body if she should before ingesting it.

awareness, knowledge... powerful life changing things when put into action!

margoss

07-10-2010, 05:44 PM

that's so great! good for all of you. Funny about her wearing the bathingsuit.

Aleesha Sattva

07-10-2010, 05:52 PM

She is still wearing it! LOL She's loving her new bod!

sport

07-11-2010, 05:09 AM

It is going to make a huge difference to the entire remainder of her life. I am so pleased for you both. It is so satisfying to see your children achieve happiness.

Aleesha Sattva

07-11-2010, 09:04 AM

i totally agree with ya sport. this really is life changing for her. life changing!

monkapotapus

07-12-2010, 01:32 PM

Yay for her!!! :D
That is so cool that she has stuck with it......I wanna be like her when I grow up! ;)
(((Hugs))) to both of you~

Aleesha Sattva

07-12-2010, 07:55 PM

I think you already are!

Aleesha Sattva

08-09-2010, 11:04 AM

this quote is from the first page of this thread:

ahhhhhh thanks for this MR... that's exactly what i'm hoping for. that in another year she'll be saying "wow mom, i'm so glad i did this!"

i didn't even think about how she'll feel in another 40 years :D:D:D

i didn't even have to wait a year to hear her say thanks. she does it often. she's a little less raw than she was, but i think that's because it's summer, she's super active and is loving how she looks. she's already said that once the cooler weather begins she'll be back to salads again.

i support her 100% to follow what she believes her body needs - after all, it's her body!

just wanted to update everyone to let you all know... that even someone young can make a huge change in their diet if THEY choose to. i wanted her to for years... but it took her wanting to to make the difference.

so moms out there... if you have an overweight child... be a good example for them. eat healthy, exercise and g-l-o-w cause that's the best way to show our children what their own potential is!

edited to add a link to her picture thread. http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=59603

and a link to her latest pic in that thread: http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showpost.php?p=621725&postcount=36

Aleesha Sattva

10-31-2010, 06:51 PM

okay so my daughter lowered her raw intake since she's at a weight she's very happy with. she still has a salad daily... and lots of lettuce in her sandwiches so i'm pleased. not enough fruit consumption for my liking but i'm working with her on that one. but her green consumption is high!

here's the good news... she's decided to go vegetarian. i'm sooooo pleased. she calls herself a vegan (which is incorrect cause she's still consuming things with animal products in them like butter for example) but heck... she can call herself an astronaut for all i care... as long as she's making healthy choices!

so i'm blissing out for her. she just had a lettuce, mustard sandwich. she was all stressed out about not having anything else in it *unnamed product here*... but she just came into the living room to tell me it was super yummy!

she's so pleased with herself.

what brought this on? we went on a homeschooling outing to a fish hatchery. the woman running the tour killed a salmon in front of the kids... she burst into tears and we spent the rest of the day talking about animals dieing either at our own hand or us paying someone else to do it for us (cause that's how i see it)... and she made the decision over the last week to not pay anyone to kill animals for her.

when she had her sandwich, she told me she's glad no one died for her to eat today!

*proud mama*

i know much of this is discussing non-raw foods... but i want this to be honest for other teens (pre-teens) so they can see that perhaps if 100% raw isn't right for them at this time... being high raw to release the weight/dis-ease and then keeping lots of raw in their daily diet may work for them as well.

after all... she's only eleven. i'm very pleased she's making the choices she is for herself. *beaming*

GoodCat

10-31-2010, 07:11 PM

Awwww.. give her a ((big hug))... thats a wonderful insight that most adults don't even get!!

Cathy :D

Aleesha Sattva

11-01-2010, 12:07 AM

Ya she's pretty amazing :)

loofah

11-05-2010, 10:35 PM

It's good to hear that she is learning at a young age. It's too bad most kids won't be exposed to the truth about raw foods if at all in their lives :(

I'm no mother, but I would also prepare her for the criticism she might receive at school if she isn't already. Being a student, I know it was and still is hard for me to take the criticism other people say about my lunch sometimes. Stray from the norm and you get attacked for it..."Dude, you have to eat meat...you're going to die". Try as I might to convince people a raw diet is the best diet, they would rather hear it from their doctor (who knows everything about health.../sarcasm) than a peer. I am in no way claiming to be some kind of health expert but it makes logical sense that a diet high in raw food would most benefit the human body/mind/soul. It is the food that has been available to us humans for the millennia of our existence on this beautiful planet. And it is the food that our bodies have evolved to use most efficiently. It makes me sad that a lot of kids put so much faith in knowing that they are eating quality food and never think twice about what's in it or where it's coming from, not that I blame them, I've been there. The innocence of childhood is something that must be protected, but the toxic society we live in today does not nurture, it only threatens.

whew got into a bit of a rant there.

Anyway, I think it's great that you're enlightening her and helping her through her journey on raw. I wish my parents would be a little more supportive but I guess that's just how the cookie crumbled.

Aleesha Sattva

11-06-2010, 12:04 AM

OnMyJourney

01-10-2011, 07:45 AM

when she had her sandwich, she told me she's glad no one died for her to eat today!

Oh Aleesha, when I got to this part I just wanted to reach through the screen to hug you both so tightly! I'm SOOOOOOOO incredibly happy for her, that she's met her health goal, that she's arrived at such a level of consciousness and that most of all she's HAPPY! As a mother, this thread always made my heart smile. But this morning as I read this, my heart is about to burst with joy!

This is my favorite thread in the whole world!!

Aleesha Sattva

01-10-2011, 09:34 AM

you have simply made my day so bright with your words... so bright!!! now i'm bursting with joy!!!

ReneeH

01-10-2011, 09:42 AM

loofah, we homeschool and the group we hang with are very supportive of our lifestyle choices. so no worries there. she's also a very strong spirit and can totally hold her own with her peers. ;)

but thank you for sharing your thoughts. i wish you more support. i wish you more understanding from those around you. most of all... i wish you health! may your journey be one filled with light and love. (((hugs)))

Hey Aleesha...I ***TOTALLY*** agree with you on this!!! We also homeschool and I feel the same way about my kiddos! My Son even woke up with a pimple and said that he wanted to be more Raw because he recognizes that something he ate made his face break out...possibly...

I find that homeschooling has helped my kids to make more of a stand being "different" and our homeschool group is also extremely supportive of our choices as well. But, even if my kids went to public school, I'm sure that they will make good decisions about what to eat because they do so (most of the time) when they are not with me. A lot of times, they will just choose to have a Salad. They are not completely Raw, but the choices they make are far better than their peers. :)

Aleesha Sattva

01-10-2011, 09:44 AM

(((hugs))) to our little ones Renee... we are raising them by setting such a good example and it shows!

the proof is in the raw pudding.

so glad he recognized that what he puts in his body causes his outbreak (possibly)... so good!!!

OnMyJourney

01-10-2011, 11:15 AM

you have simply made my day so bright with your words... so bright!!! now i'm bursting with joy!!!

*BIG HUGS* :D

(((hugs))) to our little ones Renee... we are raising them by setting such a good example and it shows!

the proof is in the raw pudding.

so glad he recognized that what he puts in his body causes his outbreak (possibly)... so good!!!

Indeed it is!

climbing

01-15-2011, 07:02 AM

tonight my daughter called me and said, "mom i am soooo happy that i'm raw. want to know the top three reasons i'm happy about this? number one, my health is increasing. number two, my weight is reducing and number three, my happiness has grown. i'm so happy now."

my daughter has been having a lot of problems with depression. we have her on bach flower remedies to assist her and we are thrilled with the changes that have occurred since she went raw! since about day 3... she's been an absolute joy to be around. she so happy again. it's like my daughter is back!!!

tomorrow we are transferring the fridges around. the big fridge will now become our raw fridge and the smaller one (both in the kitchen) is becoming the cooked fridge.

how cool is that! hopefully one day... both will be raw fridges! (my 16 yr old son is not raw)

I know this is an old post but I just wanted to tell you that this *literally* made me cry.

When I was about your daughters age I fell into a suicidal depression and stopped getting out of bed or going to school. I was taken to a doctor and prescribed multiple pills, including an SSRI (which they now know are dangerous to younger children) and anti-psychotics. I was told that I was sick with a "chemical imbalance" and that I would need these pills the rest of my life. All throughout my teenage years, my parents struggled to pay the hundreds of dollars a month required to fill all my prescriptions, only to watch me continue to spiral downward. The pills had an effect, sure, turning my depressed state into a hyperactive, uncontrollable one. I became a "problem teen" and acted out in violence, as the meds changed who I was so much. I began cutting and burning myself. I got in trouble a lot and eventually dropped out of high school because my emotional breakdowns were not allowing me to focus.

About a year after high school it was like my body said ENOUGH! And suddenly I developed a horrible rash of psoriasis from head to toe. I was covered in scales. After some investigating I realized that the pills were causing it. I had developed some sort of allergy to them, so I went off.

In the next two weeks I went through a drug withdrawl that I would never wish on anyone. I wasn't able to keep food down for a week. I blacked out from the pain, headaches, and "brain zaps" that the withdrawl gave me. It was a painful time and only a start of the long road of pain I had ahead of me.

It took about five years of suffering from that point to get to the point where I discovered I have an autoimmune disease of some sort, pinpoint a lot of food allergies (wheat, soy, dairy, and corn... hmmm all cooked foods) which were not only causing my skin and joint issues but DEPRESSION as well. Removing these foods from my diet was the start of a long struggle which eventually led me to where I am now-high raw and getting more raw every day.

I didn't plan on sharing this story here, but your post and the way you are helping your daughter just moved me so much. I honestly can't even imagine how my life might have been different if my parents hadn't trusted conventional doctors and had thought about diet. My parents did the best they could, they didn't know much at the time. They thought they were doing awesome by not allowing us too much soda or candy, but didn't have any idea the whole wheat bread, cookies, corn, and other stuff they were feeding was killing their daughter...

I believe I had to go through all the pain and suffering and confusion I did with my autoimmune disease and my depression to make me strong and to lead me down the path I am on now. No regrets, I don't know if I'd be who I am now had I had it easy. But just knowing there is someone like you out there, helping a little girl NOT have to go through what I did, brings so much peace to my heart. Thank you and keep spreading the good message.